Harvey Milk May Soon Be Honored With SFO Terminal Name

SAN FRANCISCO INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT, CA — San Francisco International Airport's Terminal One may soon be renamed in honor of slain Supervisor Harvey Milk. Legislation introduced Tuesday by Supervisor Hillary Ronen will begin the process of renaming the terminal following a June 27 vote by the Airport Facilities Naming Advisory Committee in support of the change.

The committee also voted to rename the access road Harvey Milk Way.

Terminal One, the oldest passenger terminal in use at SFO, is undergoing a $2.4 billion renovation project, which began in June 2016 and is expected to continue in phases through 2024.

The project will create a new Terminal One Center and Boarding Area B as well as a new central security checkpoint, consolidated baggage handling system, new dining and retail areas and post-security connecting walkways.

Former Supervisor David Campos, for whom Ronen previously worked as an aide, made a previous attempt to rename SFO for Milk in 2013 but abandoned the effort in the face of opposition. Instead, he reached a compromise agreement to form a committee to recommend which of SFO's terminals or other facilities should be renamed.

Ronen on Tuesday said that when Campos first introduced the legislation, she and others had thought it would sail through easily. Instead, his office was flooded with hateful emails and phone calls from around the country and he received frequent death threats.

"It was a turning point for me, as I saw very clearly how far we still have to go," Ronen said. "I saw how much threats of violence are still an everyday concern for queer people."

Ronen said the renaming would send a powerful message to the world, and especially to those still living in the closet, that the city honors gay people and their achievements and sacrifices.

"It will give kids hope," Ronen said. Supervisor Jeff Sheehy, a co-sponsor of the legislation and currently the board's only gay member, Tuesday issued a statement in support of the renaming, calling it his "top LGBT legislative priority."

"Forty years ago this November, San Franciscans sent an historic message- voting in progressive Mayor George Moscone and electing Harvey Milk as our City's first gay Supervisor. Their legacy endures in our City and in these dark times, Harvey's message of hope resonates more than ever," said Supervisor Sheehy. "As we work to guarantee civil rights for LGBTQ people here and around the world, there is no more fitting tribute than naming Terminal One after Supervisor Milk."

— By Bay City News Service

Image: Supporters hold signs with the image of slain San Francisco supervisor Harvey Milk during a rally at San Francisco City Hall on February 22, 2013 in San Francisco, California. Credit: Justin Sullivan / Getty Images News / Getty Images